“Really? What happened to her?” I asked, pretending like I didn’t know a thing. I wanted to see what he’d say.

　　“Well, old man Xu passed away young, and when Xiaoli was around fifteen or sixteen, they married her off to Ma Daqiang’s simple-minded son from the east side of the village,” he said.

　　“Why’d they do that?” I asked.

　　“Because they were poor, times were hard—what other reason do you think?” He looked at me and added, “But the Ma family, now they’re a different story. Ma Daqiang’s got money.”

　　“So, what happened after that?”

　　He took a couple more drags from his pipe before continuing, “Xiaoli was educated, you know, had some schooling, so she wasn’t about to just settle for marrying a fool. She up and left. Later on, I heard she found work in the city, was doing quite well, seemed to be living a decent life.”

　　“Well, that sounds like a good thing, doesn’t it?” I said.

　　“Good?” He gave me a sideways glance and sighed. “Once Ma Daqiang found out Xiaoli was doing alright for herself, he started showing up at her place every so often, stirring up trouble. You think Xiaoli’s mother, at her age, could handle that kind of mess?”

　　I shook my head. "No way."

　　The old man paused, taking a moment before continuing, "After that, every time Xiaoli came back, she’d always be hauling bags of stuff over to Ma Daqiang’s place. I guess Ma Daqiang finally got what he was after, and the whole marriage just quietly dissolved."

　　I pondered for a second, then asked, "Has Xiaoli ever brought anyone unfamiliar back with her? Or has any stranger visited her recently?"

　　He thought about it, then said, "Well, while she was home, I did see one woman come to see her. Didn’t notice anyone else, though."

　　“That woman…” I murmured under my breath.

　　The old man’s hand froze mid-puff as he looked at me with sudden suspicion. "Who are you, Kid? Why’re you so interested in Xiaoli?"

　　I flashed a smile. "I’m a friend of hers. Heard she ran into some trouble and came back to the village, so I figured I'd check on her."

　　"Ah, got it. Her house is just up the way; make a turn, and you’ll find it. You’d better hurry—I heard she’s doing a lot better now." The old man gestured with his pipe toward the direction of Xu Xiaoli’s house.

　　I stood up, nodding. "Thanks, sir!"

　　As I walked off, I mulled over the old man’s words. They didn’t exactly point to anything suspicious, but that mysterious woman was definitely worth looking into.

　　Instead of heading straight to Xu Xiaoli’s place, I kept on down the road, making my way toward the east side of the village—straight to Ma Daqiang’s.

　　I needed to know if Ma Daqiang really let Xiaoli go because of the money, or if there was something else at play.

　　The village wasn’t big, so it didn’t take long to reach the east side. Standing in front of the Ma family’s place, I paused and glanced around. Just like the old man had said, it was the most impressive house in the area. The grand entrance gave off a bit of that old-school, wealthy landlord vibe.

　　Knock, knock!

　　I knocked a few times, but there was no answer. Just as I was about to walk away, the door creaked open.

　　A woman appeared, looking to be in her mid-forties. She wore a plaid shirt and rough fabric pants. Though her appearance was tidy, there was a weariness in her eyes, like she’d seen more than her share of hard days.

　　“Who’re you looking for?” she asked, her tone flat.

　　“Hi, I’m…”

　　Before I could finish, a voice echoed from inside, followed by a childish giggle, “Wife! Hehe, I want a wife, Ma!”

　　I glanced in the direction of the voice and figured it must be Ma Daqiang’s simple-minded son.

　　“Get back inside, Xiaodong!” the woman called out, her tone more weary than stern.

　　“Hehe, I want a wife, I want a wife!” Ma Xiaodong kept chanting, running around the yard in circles.

　　“Just go! I don’t know you!” She was already starting to close the door, but I blocked it with my hand. Something about the way Ma Xiaodong was acting didn’t sit right with me.

　　“What do you think you’re doing?” she demanded, shoving the door against my hand. But I kept my grip firm.

　　“That’s your son, isn’t it? He wasn’t born like this,” I said, raising my voice a little.

　　Her hands froze on the door, and she stared at me in shock. “Who are you? How do you know that?”

　　I pushed the door open wider and stepped inside, watching Ma Xiaodong stumble around. He looked about my age, and it was obvious that if he hadn’t ended up like this, he would’ve been quite the handsome guy.

　　“Did this just happen all of a sudden?” I asked.

　　“Yes,” she replied, her eyes narrowing at me. “Who are you, and how do you know about this?”

　　“Doesn’t matter who I am. I’m not here to hurt you.”

　　Without waiting for her reaction, I walked over to Ma Xiaodong and took hold of him, looking straight into his eyes. At first, his gaze flickered with a moment of clarity, but then he went back to his vacant babbling.

　　I gripped his shoulder tightly with my left hand, and with my right, I traced a pattern in the air as my fingers glowed with a faint golden light. I murmured, “Tai Shang Tai Xing, wisdom bright and clear, banish all evil, bring peace to the mind!” Then, I pressed my glowing fingertip firmly against his forehead.

　　Ma Xiaodong collapsed instantly, falling limp in his mother’s arms.

　　“Xiaodong!” She held him close, looking up at me in a mix of fear and anger. “What did you do to him?”

　　“Relax. He’ll wake up soon.”

　　“Who... who are you?”

　　“What if I told you I’m a Feng Shui master? Would you believe me?” I asked, my gaze steady and unyielding, daring her to doubt me.

　　“A Feng Shui master?” She looked down at Ma Xiaodong, cradled in her arms, then back up at me, her face torn between hesitation and a glimmer of desperate hope.

　　“Let’s get your son inside first,” I said.

　　We carried Ma Xiaodong into the house together, laying him gently on a bed. The moment he was settled, the woman suddenly fell to her knees in front of me. “Please, sir, I’m begging you—save my son!”

　　It was hard not to feel a pang of compassion as I looked at her—mid-forties, hair already streaked with gray, and now kneeling at my feet, pleading. I quickly reached out and helped her stand.

　　“Tell me exactly what happened,” I said.

　　We sat down, and she wiped away her tears with trembling hands. “There’s really not much to tell. Xiaodong went out to play one day, and when he came back, he was... like this.”

　　“That’s it? Nothing else at all?” I pressed, sensing there was more to the story.

　　“No,” she replied.

　　I thought for a moment, then asked, “Was he alone at the time, or was there someone with him?”

　　She hesitated, then said, “I think he was alone. Xiaodong ran off by himself, and I’m not sure if anyone joined him later.”

　　I stood up and took a look around. Her home was noticeably better off than Xu Xiaoli’s, with a big radio and even a black-and-white television. There didn’t seem to be anything unusual, though—nothing out of place that caught my attention.

　　“Sir, do you think Xiaodong’s condition can be treated?” she asked, her voice full of tentative hope.

　　“Don’t worry,” I said. “Now that you’ve met me, I’ll do everything I can.”

　　She gave a weary smile and shook her head. “Over the years, we’ve seen Feng Shui masters and all kinds of spiritual healers. Either they couldn’t figure out what was wrong, or they’d find something and then just leave, saying it was beyond them.”

　　“Really?”

　　The more she said that, the more intrigued I became. Now I was even more eager to find out what kind of issue could make a Feng Shui master shy away.

　　“Mom!”

　　Right then, Ma Xiaodong woke up, sat up, and flashed a silly grin at his mom.

　　She quickly scooted over next to him, her eyes filled with concern as she glanced at him and then back at me. “Sir, why is Xiaodong still like this?”

　　I studied Ma Xiaodong for a moment before answering. “Well, no wonder he’s like this—turns out he’s missing a soul!”

　　"Is that so?" I murmured, my curiosity growing. The more she spoke, the more intrigued I became—I was eager to see what kind of issue could send a Feng Shui master running.

　　“Mom!”

　　Just then, Ma Xiaodong stirred awake, sitting up and giving his mother a vacant, goofy smile.

　　She rushed to his side immediately, her eyes filled with worry as she looked back at me. “Sir, why is Xiaodong still like this?” she asked, her voice edged with desperation.

　　I kept my gaze steady on Ma Xiaodong for a moment before replying, “No wonder he’s like this,” I said, my tone serious. “He’s missing a piece of his soul.”